Rover snaps color view of its own trail

Scientists on Thursday released its second stunning color “postcard” from NASA’s Spirit rover on Mars, and said the rest of the full 360-degree color view was stored in the rover’s memory and waiting to be downloaded. The northward view shows “Sleepy Hollow,” the rock-rimmed depression in the midst of Mars’ huge Gusev Crater that is considered one of the prime targets for exploration when the rover rolls off its landing platform sometime next week. Two dark doughnut-shaped markings on the soil within Sleepy Hollow may be marks left behind by the rover’s airbags, said Cornell astronomer Jim Bell, head of the science team for the rover’s panoramic camera.